Short films based on poetry

Poetry and Family Photographs

Jeanetta Calhoun Mish’sWork Is Love Made Visible: Poetry and Family Photographsis a collection that I will return to again and again. The poem that opens the book, “Rosasharn Reports from California in the 21st Century,” is full of humor and insights as to how things really haven’t changed since Steinbeck’s time. The poems about the poet’s family are the jewels of the collection. She takes you deep into her family, their poverty, anger and love. She touches on many personalities in the family tree and is able to identify her own strengths and weakness by exploring her personal history. I felt the pain, happiness and moments of pride while reading Mish’s work and the family photos included in the collection only heightened the experience. “Road Burns,” “Work Is Love made Visible,” “For My Brother,” “Lessons from Luke,” “Body Snatcher,” and “mapping desire” are among my favorites but “My Great-Great-Grandmother Writes the Perfect Poem” with a photo of the poet’s great-great-grandmother in front of the Busy Bee Cafe really stands out.